Report of Charles Burrows, Jere T. Dew, Adjutant General, Rutherford, N. J., August 3, 1908. Grand Army of the Republic. Dear Sir and Comrade:-I have the honor to submit herewith a detailed account of the business of this office since last report to August 1, 1908. By unanimous action of the Forty-first National Encampment, a Permanent Investment Fund was created, and three trustees elected to have charge of said fund. In accordance with this action, the $16,000 in United States bonds were transferred to these trustees, which deprived the General Fund of the interest on said bonds. The only money received during the year, aside from the regular source of per capita tax and supplies, was a gift of $1,000 from Mrs. Helen R. Blackmar, the widow of our honored comrade and late Commander-in-Chief Wilmon W. Blackmar. In her letter enclosing this gift she stated "to be used as the officers deem best." I made a separate deposit of the $1,000 where it would draw interest until such time as it could be ascertained whether it would be needed for current expenses, and so notified the Commander-in-Chief, stating that this should ultimately be paid over to the Permanent Investment Fund, if it was found at the end of the year we did not need it for any other purpose. The Commander-in-Chief approved of my action, and in closing up the account, August 1st, I find that we have sufficient funds over and above this $1,000, and therefore sent to Comrade R. B. Brown, of the Board of Trustees, a certified check for $1,016.66. I recommend that the Commander-in-Chief appoint a committee to draft suitable resolutions to be sent to Mrs. Blackmar, acknowledging her very generous gift. I desire to call special attention to the matter of National Encampment Journal of Proceedings. For years we have printed a greater number than necessary, and have tried each year to ascertain how this waste could be prevented. The plan adopted this year was to send twenty-five copies to the headquarters of each department, informing the Assistant Adjutant General that further copies would be furnished upon receipt of 12 cents postage for each copy, or if ordered in greater numbers, the cost of freight or expressage. The result has given us the data by which a great saving can be made in the future. There were printed for the Journal of the Forty-first National Encampment, 3,550, of which number the custodian has on hand 2,200, which shows that only 1,350 have been called for. I therefore recommend that only 1,500 copies be printed in the future. You will note in our assets we have only 100 pounds of gunmetal left. I learned this too late to make provision for a further supply, but the demand for membership badges continues to be so great that it will be necessary for the incoming administration to arrange for a further supply without delay. With pleasant recollections of our official relations during the past year, I am, Sincerely yours in F., C. & L., CHARLES BURROWS, Quartermaster General, G. A. R. |